The study, led by Ganesa Wegienka, MS, PhD, of the Department of Public Health Sciences at Henry Ford Hospital, set out to answer one of the most popular questions parents have—whether pets will increase their baby’s risk of developing allergies.

Researchers followed 565 children from birth through the age of 18. They found that boys who lived with a dog during the first year of their life had about half the risk of developing allergies as compared to those without a dog in the house.

Interestingly the study did not find a connection with girls and dogs, but both sexes had a smaller risk of developing a feline allergy if they lived with a cat. Researchers have determined that the first year is the most important exposure period when it comes to allergies.